1837.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



639 



seems to possess none of the narcotic quality of 

 which the poppy is so abundantly supi)!ietl, bat 

 seems to be admirably calcuhuecl lor the table, and 

 I doubt not, bui the time is near at hand, when 

 the genteel portion of our community, may oil 

 their palates from the production of their own 

 soil, and no lon<rer be under a compliment 1o 

 France, Flanders, or any other foreign country, 

 for a similar enjoyment. I think the most proper 

 time is the lidl of the year, (or sowing the seed, 

 and as late as the frost will permit — there has been 

 by myself and others, various n)ethods resorted to, 

 for the cultivation ol the poppy; but I venture to 

 say, the best mode is very lar in the shade ; but I 

 hope that some of our agriculturists will fake the 

 trouble to appropriate a small piece of land, and a 

 lew hours time by way of experiment on this new 

 piece of hiishaiulry, (however trivial it may appear 

 at first,) I doubt not they will be highly pleased 

 and amply rewarded for their pains. 

 Sir, I am with much esteem. 



Very sincerely, your humble servant, 



E. S. S. 



HILLSIDE DITCHES AS A SAFEGUARD AGAINST 

 WASHING BAINS. 



To tlie Editor of tlie Farmers' Register. 



Mecklenburg, October I7th, 1336. 



f notice that " A Gleaner," in a late No. of the 

 Register, has expressed surprise and regret, that 

 the value of hillside ditches, was estimated less 

 highly than formerly, by some on " Ward's Fork," 

 who had formerly used them. There can no 

 doubt of the complete efficacy of the system re- 

 main on the mind of any man who will take the 

 trouble to examinesome of the hilly plantations in 

 this neighborhood, where the practice of" it was 

 oriixinaied by Mr. Skipwiih, and pursued by him 

 successfully for years, and where it has been 

 practised by his neighbors also, with success. Like 

 the practice of horizontal beds or ridges which 

 proved so beneficial in the hands of Arator and 

 others, who were generally careful to do their 

 work accurately, if it is not accurately executed, it 

 will carry off ten times the soil it saves. Mr. 

 John Nelson, of Oak Hill, has a field in full view 

 of my house, which would convince the stoutest 

 sceptic of the efficacy of hill side ditching. 



For tlie Farmers' Register. 

 COMMERCIAL REPORT. 



The navitration of our rivers has been closed for 

 nearly a month past, and our intercourse with the 

 interior has been inconsiderable ; so that commer- 

 cial operations are in a great measure suspended, 

 and there is little to report on the subject. The 

 ice is now disappearing. 



The variations in the prices of produce are un- 

 important. Cotton may be quoted 14 to 15 cents, 

 total receipt in Virginia, since 1st October, about 

 1-5,000 bales — of which 11,000 were exported to 

 Europe, and the stock now on the first and second 

 hand, is about 1.500 bales. The total receipts in 

 the United States, compared with those of the 

 same period last year, show an excess of 100,000 

 bales. Prices have declined in the large southern 



and western markets — but are still high — ranging 

 from 13 to 17 cents. 



Tlie small supplies of tobacco, barely adequate 

 to the demand l()r our manutiiicturers, caused 

 prices to advance a little; but this is considered as 

 momentary. N<'w luirs sell at 3 to 4.^ — new leaf 

 5.^ to 6|, not including any of the higher qualities. 

 Tfie slate of" all foreign markets is very unfii\ora- 

 ble. Contracts are stated to have been made by 

 the French government lor Virginia tobacco, on 

 terms equal to $7^, per 100 lbs. iiere. 'Hie Ken- 

 tucky crop is estimated to be at least 75,000 lihds. 



Foreign grain continues to arrive in considera- 

 ble quantitv. The wheat sells at ^2 to ^2 15 — 

 rye iftl 35 "to 1 50. 



Flour is quoted in various neighboring markets, 

 #10^ to 12. Supplies from the west are kept back 

 by the closing of" the rivers and canals. 



Corn has advanceti to about ,^4 50 per barrel, 

 or 90 cents per bushel, and cannot be expected to 

 recede. 



The legislature of Virginia has not yet decided 

 on granting charters ihr new banks, and great anx- 

 iety is felt by those interested in promoting the 

 extension of" our commerce, manuftictures and 

 public improvements, which depend on the in- 

 crease of banking capital. 



Jan. 24. X. 



From the Oct. No of .,innnlcs deVJl^riculture Francaise. Trans- 

 lated for the Farmers' Register. 



PROFESSORSHIPS OF AGRICULEUKE (iN 

 FRANCE.) 



The king has issued an ordonnance, upon the 

 report of the Minister of Commerce, directing the 

 establishment of a Royal Conservatory of" Arts 

 and Trades, and a system of public and gratui- 

 tous instruction for airriculture. The instruction 

 will be in three courses: 1st, on Cuhlvation — 

 2nd, Agricultural Construction, and Mechanics — 

 and 3rd, Agricultural Chemistry. 



Translated from the same. 

 ROOFS COVERED WITH PAPER. 



To cover the roofs of farm buildings, especially 

 of barns, use may be made of sheets of paper, of 

 which the best is the paper made of wool, which 

 is both strong and cheap. Each sheet is steeped 

 in a boiling mixture of three-fourths of pitch and 

 one fourth of mineral bitumen, melted together. 

 The sheets are left to dry a day or two, when 

 they undergo a nevv immersion and a second dry- 

 ing, and they may be immediately used. They 

 are fastened on the roof like slates, upon laths — • 

 then covered a line and a half in thickness, by 

 means of a brush, with a liquid composition of 

 two-thirds tar, {gnvdron,) and one-third pitch. 

 The whole surface is s[>rinkled over with sand, or 

 with iron dust from the forge. This kind of cover- 

 ing is very economical, and requires but very light 

 frame work for the roof 



HORTUS SICCUS. 



In studying botany, it is of advantage to pre- 

 pare a book of dried specimens of plants; such 

 a book IS termed hortus siccus, a dry garden. 



